Members of Hobart First United Methodist Church are celebrating a banner year: the 100th anniversary of their red brick Gothic sanctuary on East 4th Street, and state approval for placement on the National Register of Historic Places.

The building, with its original arched stained glass windows and oak altar and railing, soon could gain approval on a national level.

"I see this as a phenomenal opportunity. It truly honors the commitment and sacrifices of those who came before us," said the Rev. Rebecca L. Smith, pastor and a driving force in pursuing the designation.

Brad Miller, of Indiana Landmarks Northwest Field office, said the church's nomination was approved by the Indiana Historic Preservation Review Board and was sent to Washington, D.C., for review by the National Review Board.

Miller said the process and guidelines are nearly identical on the state and national levels.

"If the state review board thinks a building deserves to be on the national register, the national review board pretty much honors their decision," Miller said. "Being on the national register has a much higher status than the state's register, though."

To be considered, a building needs to be older than 50, have a certain percentage be original and maintained, and of either historical or architectural significance.

Miller said the First United Methodist church is Gothic style, typical of churches built in the early 1900s.

Construction on the current church started in 1916 and was completed the following year. It replaced a smaller church, completed in 1872, that no longer fit the members' needs.

Smith said the process for historic designation was started two years ago. She found the original contracts for the architect, stained glass windows and other materials.

"They make the story come alive, as you start to read about their decisions and the things they agonized over," Smith said of the building committee members who would meet at 8 p.m. and continue for hours. Cost was a primary concern.

"The costs kept rising," Smith said, from the goal of spending $12,000 with $8,000 pledged.

Smith said the amount of pledges was remarkable, given that the average worker earned about $200 to $400 a year at the time.

But an architect informed them their building as planned would cost about $15,000, which the committee believed was out of the question. It discussed options to trim about $1,000.

The building, which included a 13-foot-high basement with a gym that could seat 275 people and could be used as a community room, ended up costing $22,803.

Miller said the Hobart church would be the fifth building in the city to receive historic status and the 85th in Lake County. Other Hobart buildings with the designation are the John Wood Mill; Carnegie Library building, which houses the Hobart Historical Society; Pennsy Railroad Station, which houses the Hobart Chamber of Commerce; and the First Unitarian Church in Hobart.

The downtown area also wasdesignated the Hobart Commercial Historic District, Miller said.

Smith said the church recently wrapped up four Sundays of celebration in honor of the sanctuary's 100th year.